In a spectacular display at UFC Vegas 105, Lerone Murphy overcame a fierce body slam to secure a victory over Josh Emmett, preserving his unblemished record. The 33-year-old fighter, hailing from Manchester, can now proudly claim a flawless 16-0 record with a single draw. His aspirations are set high, as he eyes the UFC featherweight title in the near future.
Throughout their five-round centerpiece match at the UFC Apex, Murphy maintained a cautious approach, highly aware of Emmett’s intimidating single-strike knockout prowess. The British fighter smartly kept his distance, exploiting his advantage of longer reach to chip away at the American opponent. Notably, Emmett had previously defeated Bryce Mitchell in under two minutes in a previous bout.
A tense moment emerged in the second round when Emmett successfully cornered ‘The Miracle,’ Murphy’s moniker, against the enclosure. In a display of unabashed brute strength, Emmett hoisted his adversary above his head using both hands and plunged him forcefully onto the mat with nowhere else to move.
Despite the bone-jarring body slam, Murphy, resilient as ever, made an impressive recovery. His striking game remained unscathed as the fight shifted into the championship rounds. Even as Emmett succeeded in his takedown attempts four out of 11 times and commanded more than three minutes of control time, Murphy’s counterattack was incisive.
Murphy landed over a hundred strikes more than his opponent, winning a unanimous decision victory that was hard to dispute. The 48-47 scorecards provided by two judges clearly favored Murphy, while a third judge awarded him an even more decisive 49-46 win.
Before his climactic match against Emmett, Murphy had already voiced his ambition for a title shot. Following his victory, Murphy’s stance remained consistent; his goal wasn’t altered. In response to the query regarding his future intents, Murphy retorted, ‘I want a title,’ making his ambitions crystal clear for all to see.
‘Give me anybody in the top five, top three. Heck, let me battle one of those fighters in July. I want to continue this winning momentum,’ he added. Eager to maintain his form, he expressed the desire to stay active, eyeing two more fights within the year to keep his championship dreams alive.
Murphy mentioned the sixth-ranked featherweight, Brian Ortega, as a potential adversary in the octagon, marking his ascent into the top eight featherweight fighters in UFC. The featherweight belt was relinquished by Ilia Topuria earlier in February, and the top contenders, No.1-ranked Alexander Volkanovski and No.3-ranked Diego Lopes, have been slotted for a title bout in the main event of UFC 314.
Expressing his preference to clash with Volkanovski for the coveted title, Murphy cited his ‘name value.’ He also demonstrated optimism for his forthcoming victory. Even though ‘The Miracle’ has managed to remain undefeated in MMA, he’s greatly underrecognized, particularly by occasional UFC fans.
Despite his impressive record, Murphy receives significantly less attention than other British UFC figures such as Tom Aspinall and Paddy Pimblett, who have seen a considerable fan following over the past half-decade. Even as he contends with world-class fighters, Murphy admits he’s not certain why his accomplishments aren’t as duly recognized.
When enquired about the lack of acknowledgment, he responded candidly, ‘I’d love to find out. Maybe because I’m not outspoken. I’m private and reserved. Once I step into the octagon, my job is done. Social media isn’t my forte, which perhaps plays a major role.’
Murphy seemed perplexed about the lack of attention, implying that had other fighters achieved what he has, they would certainly enjoy more spotlight and fan base. The British fighter doesn’t allow the lack of recognition to faze him though; he’s aware of his achievements and the value they hold.